To control an air conditioner, an audio set, and the like of a vehicle, an operating panel device is used in general. A user can change a display on an operating panel of the device by using buttons provided on the operating panel. Such an operating panel device is required to be easily operated and to have high visibility.
Conventional operating panel device 20 is described with reference to FIG. 9. FIG. 9 is a plan view of operating panel device 20. Operating panel device 20 includes operating ring 11, push panels 12A to 12D, illumination part 13, icons 14A to 14D, and display device 15.
Operating ring 11 can be operated by pushing and can also be operated by rotation. For example, when a user rotatably operates operating ring 11, a set temperature of an air conditioner of a vehicle can be elevated or lowered.
Push switches (not illustrated) are disposed below push panels 12A to 12D, and the push switches can determine which one of push panels 12A to 12D is pushed. Push panels 12A to 12D correspond to icons 14A to 14D provided on illumination part 13. For example, when a user pushes any one of push panels 12A to 12D, a light emitting element (not illustrated) below any one of icons 14A to 14D which corresponds to the pushed push panel emits light. Accordingly, any one of icons 14A to 14D which corresponds to the pushed push panel is illuminated so that the user can easily visually recognize which icon is selected.
In the example shown in FIG. 9, when the user manipulates push panels 12A to 12D, an air conditioner of a vehicle is controlled. For example, when the user pushes push panel 12A, a heater of a window of the vehicle is turned on (icon 14A). When push panel 12B is pushed, inside air/outside air switching in the vehicle is controlled (icon 14B). When push panel 12C is pushed, an automatic control of the air conditioner of the vehicle is turned on (icon 14C). When push panel 12D is pushed, the automatic control of the air conditioner of the vehicle is turned off (icon 14D).
Display device 15 is formed of a liquid crystal display or the like. In a normal state, display device 15 displays current setting of the air conditioner. When the user pushes operating ring 11, the current display is changed to a screen display for changing a set temperature. When the user rotates operating ring 11 in a clockwise direction, the set temperature of the air conditioner is elevated, and when the user rotates operating ring 11 in a counterclockwise direction, the set temperature of the air conditioner is lowered (for example, PTL 1).